Machine for sandblast cleaning of tubular goods



y 1949. K. L. KRIEG ETAL 2,468,984

. MACHINE FOR SANDBLAST CLEANING OF TUBULAR GOODS I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1947 INVENTOR. 91TH L KR/EG lfi/LL IM T dOHMSO/V ATTORNEY.

May 3, 1949. K. KRIEG ETAL MACHINE FOR SANDBLAST CLEANING OF TUBULAR GOODS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31, 1947 INVENTOR.

j 4 KENNETH L. KH/E'G gf/LL/AM, T. (JOHNSON May 3, 1949. K. L. KRIEG ET AL 2,468,984

' MACHINE FOR SANDBLAST CLEANING OF TUBULAR GOODS Filed May 51 1947 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

-1 KENNETH 4.. KR/EG F/g 7 gum/w T. JOHNSON ATTORNEY.

Patented May 3, 1949 MACHINE FOR SAN DBLAST CLEANING OF TUBULAR GOODS Kenneth L. Krieg and William T. Johnson, Valley Center, Kans.; said Johnson assignor to said Krieg Application May 31, 1947, Serial No. 751,512

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a process of sand blasting and cleaning the interior of length of tubing such as used in oil wells and the like. The invention also includes a type of machine that will carry out the process of cleaning the tubes while the tubes are in a pile and the process of cleaning is carried out without moving or shifting the tubes in the pile.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process whereby the machine may be taken out in the field to the pile of tubin and the process of sand blasting and cleaning be there carried on and thereby eliminate the job of hauling or moving the tubing from one place to another to be sandblasted and cleaned.

Another object of our invention is to provide a process of sand blasting and cleanin the tubes, and a machine for carrying out the process in which the process of cleaning the tube begins at one end of the tube and slowly advances with uniform speed through the length of the tube so as to do an equal and uniform job of cleaning and sand blasting at every point throughout the length of the tube. A still further object is to provide a machine of the kind mentioned that is simple, light in weight, durable and lOl'lg lived, simple to use and inexpensive to make and sell. These and other objects will be more fully explained as this description progresses.

Now referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals ofreference designate the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side view of the preferred form of the machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the swivel joint of the sand blast tube and revolvable driving means therefor, the view being as seen from the line IIII in Fig. and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail side view of the sand blast tube swivel joint and means for revolving the sand blast tube.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view through a portion of tubing that is to be cleaned and showing the sand blast tube and sand blast nozzle in position therein to carry out the process of sand blasting and cleaning the tubing.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the means for attaching the sand blast hoseto the machine, the view being as seen from the line VII-VII in Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the clamp means employed in holding sand blast tube and revolving means therefor in its elevated adjusted positions.

In the drawings the machine is shown as having a triangularshaped frame that is preferably made of tubing, the frame comprising an axle housing tube l2 to which the other two side members l3 and M of the triangle are welded. One end of an L-shaped caster support bracket [5 is welded to the rear apex portion of the triangle frame l2, l3 and I l' so as to hold the horizontal leg of the bracket l5 in parallelism with the front axle housing l2. The machine is provided with a castor wheel i6 and castor hanger l1 that is swivelly mounted on the outer end of the horizontal leg of the support bracket l5. Revolvably carried within the axle housing [2 is an axle IS on the outer ends of which are rigidly mounted supportin wheels I9 and 20. The triangle leg M is provided with a pair of outwardly extending support members 2! and 22 on which is rigidly supported a small power unit 23, preferably an internal combustion engine including a standard transmission and clutch, not shown in detail but housed in the case 24, the clutch and transmission being operable by the lever 25. The power unit 23 has a drive shaft 26 on which is rigidly mounted a V-belt drive pulley 21. The transmission is provided with a driven shaft 28 on which is rigidly mounted a V-belt pulley 29 that is driven by a V-belt 38 that passes around and engages the two pulleys 21 and 29 for driving purposes. As will be readily understood the transmission is provided with a drive shaft 3i on which is rigidly mounted a sprocket wheel 32 around which passes a drive chain 33 that also passes a second and larger sprocket wheel 34 that is rigidly attached to the axle shaft I8 so that as the axle is revolved by the power from the power unit 23 the wheels l9 and 20 will propel the machine either forwardly or rearwardly, according to the setting of the transmission. The triangle frame l2, l3 and I4 is provided with four vertically positioned standards 35, 36, 3'! and 38, the lower end of the standard 35 being welded to the triangle frame substantially at the point of joinder of the frame members I: and I 3, the lower end of the standard 36 being welded to the triangle frame substantially at the point of joinder of the frame members l2 and I4, the lower end of the standard 31 being welded to the rear portion of the triangle frame member [3 and the lower end of the standard 38 being welded to the 36, 3'! and 38.

rear portion of the triangle frame member M. The upper ends of the standards 35 and 31 are joined together by a brace member 39, the ends of which are welded to the upper ends of the standards 35 and 31. A second and similar brace member 49 is positioned between the standards 35 and 38, and iswelded to'the upper ends of the standards 35 and 38. A third brace member 4| is positioned between the upper ends of the standards 31 and 38 and the ends of the brace the standard Bit-and the'lower end ofthe standard 38 and the ends of thebrace'member 43 are welded to their adjacent frame members. It, and

' 48 to make the rectangular frame I l; 35'; 9'8 and 38 rigid so that it will not rack. 1 The machine is provided with a frame assembly M, 95', 55, and 41 that fits between the standards 35; 35, 31 and 33 and on each corner 'of the frame 59', 55, 55 and 51 is rigidly attached,

welded, sleeve clamp elements 98, 49, 59 and that are slidably mounted, one on each standard .35, 35, 31 and 38, each sleeve is cut in two as 52 I and is provided with a pair of ear like elements 53 and 54 that are positionedjone on' each'side of the opening 52 and a bolt 55'ispasse'd'through the ears 53 and 55 and'a nut 56 is threaded on the bolt 55 to draw the ears 53 and 54"toward each other to effect a gripping action ofthe clamp 49 on its respective standard to rigidly hold the frame 55', 215, 55 and 91 in adjusted elevated positions up and down the standards 35, The frame 95, 45, 45 and 41 is provided with a pair of cross support elements 51 and 59, the ends of which are welded to the side members 45 and 41 ofthe frame 54,95, 49-.and 41, the central portion of the support'member 51 being curved slightly downwardlyand frame member 58, the central'portion beinglcurved upwardly for purposes that will later beflmade obvious.

A cylinder like 'e1ement'59 is positionedover the support member 51and under the support member 55 and'is rigidly attached, by welding, to the support member 58; and is so'held thatthe axis "thereof is in parallelism with the longitudinal.

dimension of the adjustable frame 44, 45, 4'5 and 41. The cylinder element 59 is provided with a rearwardly extending tube like element 50' that is integrally formed thereon. The outer end of the tube 59 is provided with a pair'of outwardly extending ear like elements 5| and 52 that-are -welded thereto and are-provided withhole's 63 and 55 to receive clamping bolts 'tohold a'sand blast hose, not shown thereon.

The front end of the cylindrical element '59 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending bolt like elements 95 and 85 for purposes thatwill later be described; In the rear end of the cylinder 59 is a thrust washer 51, also within: the

cylinder 59 is revolvably positioned the rea v end- 7 portion of a sand blast tube 68,-the .rearportion of whichis provided with an outwardly extending annular flange 59 that is revolvably fitted against the inner wall of the cylinder 59 and bears against the thrust washer 61. On the sandblast 4 tube 68 is a packing clamp sleeve 1| that fits within the cylinder 59 and is provided with a pair of outwardly extending ear like portions 1|a that are provided with holes 12 and 13, through which the bolt elements 65 and 69 slidably pass and nuts 14 and are threaded thereon to bear against-theeear like-elements1|a to press the packing sleeve 1| into the cylinder 59. Between the end of the packing sleeve 1| and the first ring 18 and between each successive ring 18 and between the last ring and the flange 69 is a packrring material 16, all of which is clamped together by pressure of the packing sleeve 1| which is 'created by the turning of the nuts 14 and 15 on the bolts 551and 96. This assembly forms an air tight joint between the stationary cylinder 59 and the revolvable sand blast tube 68. A V- 'beltp'ulle'y' 11 is rigidly mounted on the sand t'blasttube 68 for the rotary driving thereof, as

will later be described. The outer end of the sand-blasttube 68-is threaded as at 18 to receive a' coupling that will later" be described. -Above the cylinder 59:and in parallelism therewith is positioned anelectric motor 19 and any standard "gear-speed:reductionchain carried inacase 89.

The motor 19and. gear case 85 being rigidly "mounted on; a platform 8 the rear end ofwhich is supported on the cross-frame member 58-and r the front end is supported on a short-channel shaped piece 82-that is positioned between .the platform 8| and: the topaside of the. front end of i the" cylinder. 59.

The driven shaft 83 of .the'gear speed reduction chain is-connected with-, the' drive shaft electric motor 19 by means ofaflexible coupling 84. The outer end of the ear speed reductionchain drive-shaft 85 ;is :provided'with a V-belt pulley 86 that is-rigidly mounted thereon and V-belts 81 pass around the pulleys 85: and 11 for driving purposes, as will'later be explained. A coupling 88 is threaded on-the revolvable'sand blast" tube 68 and the'rear: end of along sand blast tube extension 89 is threaded, into the coupling 89,-the 1 tube 89 is: long enough to 'reach. through the entirelength eta-piece of tubing 99, the inside of which :is to be sand blasted and cleaned. The outer end of the sand blast'extension' tube 89 is threaded to receive,- a sand blast nozzle "coupling 9| that is. threadedwthereon and a' sand blast nozzle isslipped-intothecoupling 9| .and is rigidly held'therein by means of'a'set screw 93 i that is :threaded:throughvthe coupling 9| and extends into a hole 94 in the nozzle 92. The nozzle 92 is cylindrical in shape and is provided with an axially positioned passage 95-that extends partway throughthenozzle body 92 to join with diagonally positioned: passages 95 that extend from the'front end of "the passage 95' for- Wardly throughthesideiwalls of the nozzle body 92 at a point-adjacent'the front end thereof so as to direct the sand blast flow diagonally against the inner surface of the tube 90.

- In setting; up the machine for use, the sand blast hose from any sand blast machine is connected to the rear 'endof thetube 6 l'andthe electric motor .19' is supplied with power, eitherfrom a battery or a generator that is on the air com- This having be loosened and the frame 44, 55,45 and 41 may be raisedalong the standards 35, 35, .81 and 39 to a point where the center axis of the sand blast tube 6 8--8 Us in alignment with the center axis of the selected tube 'ln-thepile of'tubes '90 that is to be cleaned, whereupon the nuts 56 may be tightened, to rigidly hold the frame it, 39, and 41 in its adjusted position. This having been done the sand blast nozzle on the end of the extension tube 89 may be entered into the tube 98 that is to be cleaned and the rear end of the tension tube 89 may be threaded into the coupling 88. This having been done the power unit 23 may be started, also the sand blast machine may be started to force a blast of air and sand through the tubes 68, 68, 89 and 95, also the electric motor may be started, whereupon the tube 68, extension tube 89 and nozzle 95 thereon is revolved. The transmission lever 25 may also be thrown to engage the power from the power unit 23 to drive the Wheels l9 and 28 to move the machine forward at a selected speed toward the pile of pipe 90, and as the machine advances the sand blast nozzle 95 rotates and also advances through the length of the pipe 98 with a uniform speed, whereby every point of the inner surface of the tube 99 receives an equal and uniform sand blast cleaning. When the machine has advanced to the point where the nozzle 95 has traversed the full length of the tube 90, the gear shift lever is thrown to discontinue the power from the power unit 23, whereupon the movement of the machine will stop and the machine may be moved rearwardly either by hand or if desired, the transmission in the cas 24 may have a reverse gear in it, whereby the machine may be driven rearwardly by power to retract the nozzle 85 through the tube 90 and finally withdraw the nozzle 95 entirely from the tube 98 whereupon the tube 99 has been sand blasted and cleaned and the nozzle may then be entered into another tube 90 whereupon the frame 44, 45, 46 and 41 may be readjusted if necessary to acquire the alignment of the tubes 60, 6B, 89 and 95 with the center axis of the new tube 90 that is to be sand blasted and cleaned, whereupon the foregoing described process may be repeated for each tube in the pile thereby sand blasting and cleaning the entire pile of tubing without having to shift or move any of the tubes in the pile.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that an entire pile of tubing can be very speedily and thoroughly cleaned, with a, minimum of effort. While the machine described is probably the preferable form of the machine, it is to be understood that such modifications of the machine and process may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intention of the invention. Now having fully shown and described our machine and process, what we claim is;

1. In a machine for carrying out the described process of sand blast cleaning, a power driven carriage supported on wheels, said carriage having an elevatable frame thereon, and means for holding said frame in adjusted elevated positions, a stationary cylinder and sand blast tube carried on said frame, and a revolvable sand blast tube carried on said cylinder, and power means carried on said frame, and means connected between said power means and the rotatable sand blast tube for rotating the rotatable tube, a rotatable sand blast extension tube and means for connecting the extension tube to the first said rotatable tube, a sand blast nozzle, said sand blast nozzle being mounted on the outer end of the sand blast extension tube in sand blast receiving relationship thereto, and means for connecting a sand blast hose from a sand blast machine to the rear end of the said stationary sand blast tube.

2. In a machine for carrying out the described process of sand blasting tubing, said machine being as described in claim 1, said cylinder having packing means therein to form an air tight joint between the said stationary sand blast tube and the revolvable sand blast tube.

3. In a machine for sand cleaning the inner surface of tubular goods; said machine having a frame work, ground traction wheels carried by, and for the support and propulsion of said machine, a power unit carried by said frame, and means connecting between said power unit and traction wheels for the controlled driving of the Wheels, a carriage, said carriage being carried by said frame and being adjustable vertically in said frame, a stationary sand blast hose coupling element carried by said carriage, and a revolvable tubular element carried by said carriage and being revolvably connected to the said stationary sand blast hose coupling, and power means carried by said carriage and connected to the said revolvable tubular element for the rotary driving thereof, a sand blast extension tube and a sand blast nozzle detachably attached to one end of the said extension tube, and means for detachably attaching the other end of the sand blast extension tube to the said revolvable tubular element in said blast receiving relationship therefrom.

4. In a sand blast machine for cleaning the inner surface of tubular goods; said machine having a portable frame work and power means for moving said frame work toward and away from the end of a pile of tubular goods, means for receiving a sand blast from a stationary sand blast machine, a sand blast tube and nozzle thereon, said sand blast tube being long enough and small enough to enter and to reach through the tubes in the aforementioned pile of tubular goods, said blast tube being revolvably connected to the said means for receiving a sand blast from a stationary sand blast machine, a carriage, said carriage support the said means for receiving a sand blast and the said sand blast tube, said carriage being adjustable vertically in said frame work to hold the said sand blast tube in alignment with selected tubes in the pile of tubular goods, and power means on the carriage for revolvably driving the said sand blast tube.

KENNETH L. KRIEG. WILLIAM T. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,897,951 Camerote Feb. 14, 1933 2,089,597 Carter Aug. 10, 1937 2,358,557 Boyd et a1. Sep. 19, 1944 

